Letter or symbol



1935. H. P. MAUGHLIN 1,990,833

LETTER OR SYMBOL Filed Nov. 1, 1953 INVENTOR Harry Pence Naugn/m.

M M ATTORNEYS? tory board or the like.

Patented Feb. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES: PATENT OFFICE 7 LETTER on SYMBOL;

' Harry Pence Maughlin, Columbus, Ohio 5 Application November 1, 1933, Serial No. 696,234

2 Claims. (01. 40-140) My invention relates to letters or symbols. More specifically, this invention relates to letters, figures, or other symbols which are adapted to be removably mounted on a suitablev direc- However, there are certain features of my invention not necessarily limited thereto.

Although in the prior art letters or symbols cast from metal have been found to be the most satisfactory type, prior art letters or symbols made in this manner still possess certain undesirable features.

Up to the present time, all letters or symbols of the type indicated, which have been cast from metal, have been cast in 1 such a manner thatthe edges of each letter or symbol are tapered from the back thereof inwardly to the face side thereof. Thus, the face side of the letter or symbol is smaller than the back side thereof and the beveled edges of the letter or symbol are visible.

Due to the fact do and even though it is done, the letters do not have a desired sharpness of outline.

After letters of this type are used for some time it is necessary to wash them which usually results in the depositing of sediment on the visible edges thereof whichqdetracts from the appearance thereof.

These letters which are cast from metal usually have pins or lugs on the rear surface thereof and which are adapted for insertion in suitablegrooves on the directory board in order that the letters may be removably mounted thereon.

In the past, it has been difficult to cast these letters with the pins or lugs thereon properly located and invisible from a point in front of the letters.

thereof will be invisible.

Another object of my invention is to provide a letter of the type indicated which has pins or lugs on the rear surface thereof adapted to cooperate with slots or sockets in a directory board so that the letters may be removably mounted thereon.

Another object of my invention is to provide letters or symbols of the type indicated with pins or lugs on the. rear surface thereof, which can be made by a 'method which is much more simple than prior art methods and which isof such a type that the pins'or lugs will be properly located on the rear surface of the letters.

Another object of my invention is to provide letters or symbols of the type indicated, of such a character that the pins or lugs used in mounting the letters or symbols on a directory board, will be invisible from the face of the letters or symbols.

The preferred form of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein: A

Figure 1 is a perspectiverview of a letter W made in accordance with my invention and showing the rear surface thereof with formed thereon. v Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the letter, B with a pair of pins on the rear surface thereof having a lug disposed therebetween for reenforcement.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 showing the letter N with pins on the rear pins 9 surface thereof, one of said pins being reenforced by a lug.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figures 1 to 3 but showing a letter V. r V r V Figure 5 is a perspective view of a, portion of a directory board showing how letters, made in accordance with my invention, are adapted to be mounted thereon.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the letter B? showing the face thereof; this letter being made in accordance with the principles of myinvention.

Figure? is a section taken substantially on line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section taken substantially on line 88 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a perspective View of a two-part mold which I preferably use in casting my letters or symbols, the parts of the mold being separated and showing the pattern used for forming'the cavities in the molding sand.

Figure" 10 is a section of the two-piece mold, with the cope and drag thereof properly positioned relative to each other, and having the cavities, in which the molten metal is to be poured, formed in the drag only of the mold.

With reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the draw ing, I have shown several letters made in accordance with y invention, As' previously other suitable. material.

In these figures, the rear sides of the letters.

are uppermost and the faces are lowermost.

As previously stated, I form my letters or sym-' bols in such a manner that the edges thereof will have a back draft In other words, the

edges of the letters will be tapered inwardly and backwardly from the face thereof to the rear side thereof and, consequently, the faces of the letters will be larger than the rear sides thereof. This feature is clearly illustrated in'the drawing and particularly in Figures 6 and 7. From these;

figures, it will be seen that all offtheed ges of the letters illustrated have a b'ack draft as shown at 2, so that the face 2 thereof will: be larger than therear' side 3 thereof.

' These letters are further provided'with means by which they may be mounted on a directory board or the like; "In Figure 5, I have illustrated a directory board of a .well known type. "This board comprises a wood body portion 4 which is provided with a plurality of longitudinallyextending slots 5. Thiswood body portion ispreferably covered with a covering of cloth 6 or The cloth is folded down into the slots 5. The cloth covering is usually 'of a dark color and the faces of the letters are'usually light in color. I

Each of the letters is provided with a projection or a plurality of projections adapted to fit into one of the. slots 5 in order that the letter may bemountedon the directory board. Thus, in Figure 1, the letter W is shown as beingprovided with a pair of pins '7 which are,

formed at the two points on the lower end of the W. These pins 7 are cast integrally with the body portion of the letters and extend rearwardlyltherefrom substantially at right angles to the back side thereof. r

Figure 2 shows the letter B with a pair' of pins 7 on the rear surface thereof. These pins, however, have a lug Bdisposed therebetweenand joined to the two pins. This lug serves as a reenforcement for the pins and makes them stronger.

Figure 3 shows the letter N having a pin 7 on one sideof the lower end'thereof and a pin 7 at the'other side thereof having a lug 8 integrally joined thereto and adapted to re- I enforce said pin. The lug shown in this figure and the preceding figures .are also adapted to extend into the slots 5 in the directory board. Figure 4 shows a V with a pair of pins 7 disposed directly adjacenteach other and. being joined together. Of course, it is within the contemplation of my invention touse a single pin, a plurality of pins, a lug or lugs, or combinations of pins and lugs arranged as desired. By having twopins in' this manner, lateral dis: placement of the V on the directory board will be precluded. It will be seen that these pins '7 are arranged at the vertex of the V.

y, The'pins or lugs are of such a type and so arranged that they are not visible from the points in front of the letters, which is a very desirable feature. As clearly illustrated in Figure 8, the pin '7 is arranged very close to the edge of the letter. However, no portion of the 'pin will project past the point 9 atthe face of the letter, which is the-outermost point of the edge of the letter. Each of the pins also has a back thereof.

draft. In other words, the pin, on all sides, gradually tapers backwardly and inwardly, as indicated at 10, until it comes almost to a point,

r as indicated at 11. Thus, no portion of the pin cated at 12 in Figure 8. Forming and arranging the pins and lugs in this manner, makes them invisible when the letter ismounted on'the' directory board but it also greatly simplifies the method of making these letters, as will 'later appear.

, When the letters are to be mounted on the they are rearwardly and inwardly beveled so' that the outermost portions thereof will be ofless cross-section than the innermost portions thereof. Also, when the letters are placed on the board, as indicated in Figure 5, the pins or lugs will be invisible. I V i It will be 'apaprent that by having the edges of the letters with a .back draft and, consequently, with the faces thereof larger than the back sides thereof, the face surfaces only are visible and a sharp and distinct outline is given to each of the letters. The edges of theletters will not be visible as with prior art letters where the faces were smaller than theback sides and,

consequently, it will not be necessary to blacken or shade the edges of the letters. The entire letter maybe of a single desired color and the Another advantage of letters made in accordance with myinvention resides. in the fact that they may be readily washed whilestill on the directory board. If, during the washing of the letters, any sediment deposits on the edges thereof, it will not matter, since the edges are not visible from points in front of the letters. This also is true of painting theletters. faces are painted andpaint runs down onto the edges thereof, since the edges are invisible, it will not matter. With prior art letters, where the faces are smaller than the back sides and the edges are visible, if the cleaning compound forms a sediment on the edges thereof, or if the paint runs down on the edges thereof, it will detract greatly from the" appearance of the letters.

As previously stated, prior art letters have been castin such a manner that the edges there-. of taper inwardly and forwardly so that the back sides of the letters are larger than the faces Due to the shape of these letters, it has been diflicult to cast letters of this type With pins orlugs or other fastening means integrally formed on the rear surfaces thereof and being properly located. However, with my letter, the method of producing the same has also been simplified. 7

Thus, in Figures 9 and 10, I have illustrated the manner in which letters of the type described and shown in the. preceding figures of the drawing, may be produced. In, these figures, I illustratea two-part mold consisting of the If the cope l3 and the drag 14 and which is adapted.

. to be disposed in superimposed relation when in forming the cavities in which the metal is to be poured.

It will be apparent. that the pattern 15 consists of a main. plate 16 of suitable metal to which the members 17 are soldered, or otherwise secured in such a manner that they may be removed, if desired. These members 17 are of the same shape as the ultimate letters to be produced and are adapted to produce cavities in the molding sand in which the metal is poured. The members 17 have the downwardly projecting lugs or pins 18 formed integrally therewith and projecting substantially at right angles from the lower surface thereof. These projections 18 are adapted to form deep cavities in order that, when the metal is poured and the letters are formed, lugs or pins will be formed on the rear surfacethereof.

In performing this method, the cope 13 is filled with molding sand andthe drag 14 is also filled with molding sand in the usual manner. The pattern 15 is then superimposedon the sand in the drag 14 to form the cavities 19 in the molding sand therein.

back sides thereof. The lowermost surface of the sand in the cope 13 will be blank, as indicated at 20. The letter-forming cavities may be completely formed in the cope or drag of the mold, as will be readily understood, and the other portion of the mold will be blank. This is due to the fact that the edges of the body portion of the letters forming the pattern and also the pins or lugs thereon are all provided with a back draft. Thus, whenthe pattern is used in forming the mold cavities in the sand and is lifted away therefrom, the sand will not be disturbed and a clear impression will be left therein.

Due to the fact that my letters, including both the body portions thereof and the pins or lugs, are provided with a. back draft, the entire letter may be formed in either the cope or drag of the mold. This is a very advantageous feature.

In casting prior art letters wherein the faces thereof were smaller than theback sides thereof great difficulty was encountered in properly locating the pins, on the rear surface thereof, relative to the body'portion of the letters. In casting such prior art letters, it was necessary to form the body portions of the letters-on one side of the main plate of the pattern and the pins on the other side of the main plate. Thus, since the body portions of the letters are comparatively narrow, it was very difficult to properly locate the pins relative thereto. In using such a pattern, the cavities which would ultimately form the body portions of the letters would be produced in'one part of the mold and the cavities which would ultimately produce the projections on the rear surface of the letters would be produced in the other part of the mold. Then, it would be necessary to superimpose the parts of the mold and pour the metal. If the one part of the mold were not exactly positioned relative to the other part of the mold, the letters produced would not have the pins or projections properly located on the rear surfaces of the body portions thereof, Only a very slight displacement of the parts of the mold relative to each other would result in the ruining-of all of the letters produced in the molding operation.

With my method, all of these disadvantages These cavities. when metal is poured therein, form both the. body portion of the letters and the pins on the.

the rear surfaces thereof. Obviously, -method has been greatly simplified and the practicability thereof has been greatly inhave been eliminated. Due to the fact that the letters which I desire to produce have a back draft, the pattern 15 may have the body por-. tion of the letters and the pins or lugs formed on one side of the main plate 16 of the pattern. Any of these letters may be readily removed from the main plate of the pattern and replaced by other letters, if desired. Since the letters and the pins or lugs are formed on the same side of the main plate of the pattern and are formed integrally with each other, they will always be properly located relative toeach other.

After the cavities have been formed in either the cope or drag of the mold by the pattern, the pattern is removed and. the parts of the mold are superimposed. Then, the .metal; is

poured into the cavities in the well known manner. Since theone part of the mold, as indisated in Figure 9, is a blank, and since the cavities in the other part of the mold are adapted to form both the body portion and the projections on the rear surface of the letter, these projections will always be properly positioned relative to the body portion thereof. The letter with the projections thereon is formed wholly within one portion of the mold, as illustrated in Figure 9. Thus, even though the one part of the mold is'displaced'relative to the other, the letters produced in the molding operation will still have the pins or lugs properly positioned on this creased.

It will be understood from the above description that I have provided letters'or symbols or the like having many desirable features. Also,

the method which I have devised for producing; such symbols has many advantages. This method can be morereadily carried out than prior art methods and the symbols produced will be of, a much higher type than those produced with'prior art methods.

Many other advantages will appear from the specification and drawing and the claims following.

In the following claims, by the term letter, I intend to cover letters, figures or other symbols.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: t

l. A letter of the type described for use on a directory board of the changeable letter type, said letter being cast from metal, the edges of said letter having a back draft so that the face of the letterwill be larger than the back side thereof, a pin formed integrally on the back side of said letter and a lug formed integrally therewith for reinforcement thereof, said pin and said lug having a back draft and being so arranged that the face of the letter will completely cover them.

2. A letter of the type described for use on a directory board of the changeable letter type,

said letter being cast in one piece from-metal, the edges of said letter having a back draft so that the'face of the letter will be larger than the rear side of the letter, projections on the rear side of the letter cast integrally therewith, the projections on the rear side of the letter being adapted to be used in removably mounting the letter on a directory board of the type indi-'.

cated, said projections also having a back draft.

IIARRY PENCE MAUGHLIN. 

